From chubby to chiseled: How Virat Kohli inspired a generation of cricketers to stay fitter?
By his own admission, Virat Kohli wasn't in the greatest of shape in 2012. A bad IPL season meant his work ethic went haywire. He was eating the wrong food, and not necessarily putting his maximum at the gym.
But 14 years into international cricket has transformed the man. He went from a candy-binging chubby cricketer to a lean, mean run machine who decimated the greatest of bowling attacks. Runs piled up like perfectly-stacked Jenga blocks.
What it did was have a domino effect on other cricketers of his generation. Not only did the players that followed put in rigorous work during practice, but also understood the method behind Virat Kohli's madness of doing things right fitness-wise.
Barring a shoulder injury in 2017 that saw him sit out of action for a few weeks, and the odd niggle here and there, Kohli has managed to remain injury-free and in top-flight conditions due to his impeccable fitness routine.
On that note, we look at how the former Indian skipper went from being chubby to chiseled as he gears up for the Asia Cup 2022 and the busy schedule thereafter.
How did Virat Kohli inspire a generation of cricketers to stay fitter?
In simple words: Determination to be the best. Much like his counterparts in other sports - Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LeBron James - Virat Kohli's realization that he needed to be on a different level of fitness not only saw a steep increase in his performance, but also increased longevity in the sport.
He told Dinesh Karthik during India's tour of England last year:
“I was very chubby… still I’m very fond of food. But luckily, I understood exactly what I needed to do to stay at this level till the time I play."
“It gave me so much belief. And then I scored 183 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, on a Sunday when everyone was watching. Things changed so much for me in just six months, but I forgot the basics of the game. I started getting more desperate and went too far ahead of myself. I thought, this IPL I’m going to dominate everyone. But the moment IPL started, a few games didn’t go my way and my mindset completely dropped to the other side."
Virat Kohli added:
"I was eating anything that came inside. I was finishing candy packets, 40 pieces, three packets a week. I was eating and sleeping horribly, my habits were all over the place. I finished the IPL, I remember I went home, came out of the shower, saw myself in the mirror and I was ashamed.”
Soon after, his metamorphosis to a complete player began as Kohli shed the pounds to be fitter, faster, and more athletic than he had ever been. The behind-the-scenes work saw the performances change as he became a consistent run machine
As he nears 34, Kohli is still widely regarded as one of the fittest athletes in the world. He has his reasons, and his inspirational story has served as motivation for young and aspiring cricketers to be their best versions by following his way of living to the best of their ability.